Curved cylinder for relief printing machines having a removable stereotype plate-carrying jacket



Ju]y 24, 1962 BTTNER 9,045,594

CURVED CYLINDER O RELIE PRINTING MACHIN HAVING A REIVIOVABL TEREOTYPE PLATE-CARRYING JACKET Filed Dec. 2, 1957 3 Sheets-Shee't 1 July 24, 1962 A. B NER 3,045594 CURVED CYLINDER FOR REL F PRINTING MACHINES HAV A REMOVABLE STEREOTYPE TE-CARRYING JAC Filed Dec. 2, 1957 KET ING

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5 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent O CURVED CYLENDER FR RELEF PRINTING MA- CHINES HAVENG A REMOVABLE STERETYPE PLATE-CARRYBNG JACKE! Artwr Bttner, Heidelberg, Germany, assignor t Schnellpressenfabrik Aktiengesellschaft Heidelberg, Heidelberg, German5l, a corponation of Germany Filed Dec. 2, 1957, Sex. N0. 700,676 Claims priority, application Germany Jnly 25, 1957 5 Claims. (Cl. 101375) This invention relates t0 printing machines and more particularly to an improved curved cylinder for relief printing machines.

It is known to fit the curved cylinders for relief printing machines With a removable jacket on which the stereotype plates are fitted in position. The stopping times and down time of the machine are thereby reduced.

011 exchanging the plate jacket, which is known in sizes for half the cylinder circumference as well as sizes extending beyond half the cylinder circurnference, there arise various problerns of a kind appertaining to the printing art. The removable plate jacket must always be fixed and locked accurately in position with the cylinder core. Added to this is the certain engagement of the plate jacket in the direction of rotation of the curved cylinder by means of the loads occurring when printing.

A further roblem arises When placing the plate jacket on to the curved cylinder for such sizes which are fitted with plates over half the cylinder circumference.

The removable plate jackets are thus accurately fixed and clamped tight on the cylinde1 core by means of index boits, latches and fixing brackets. These fixing means are actuated by means of threaded bolts, cam levers and the like.

In the case of a plate jacket which extends over half the cylinder circumference the 1atter, in known constructions, is fitted in such a manner on to the cylindrical core that the cylinder core receives an arcuate recess extending over the width. In order to manage 011 the fu1l cylinde1- circurnference With exploitable plate surface there are inserted the sections Which are also held by means of clarnping arrangements.

These known. constructions have the inherent fault that the edges for applying the fixing and clamping cams have too small an area. With the constant pressure stress the edges are subjected to wear which With the increasing period of operation renders doubtful the fixing means of the plate jackets.

It is a principal object of the invention not only to remove these faults er shortcomings of known constructions but also to provide a simpler and cheaper construction, which is time saving in manipulation by the printer operating the machine.

A feature of the cylinder in accordance With the invention for relief printing machines having a removable plate portion jacket, is that the latter is slid in a fork-like manner over the core portion of the curved cylinder provided With conesponding flat guide surfaces, by means of Which the exaot position of the platte jacket is ensured in the peripheral or radial direction. The axial fixing of the jacket portion on the core portion is effected by means of an annular clarnping device acting Concentrically on the plate jacket and cooperating With a rotary ring oppositely disposed thereof, having a recess for engaging over the plate jacket. With this construction, therefore the exact position of the plate, secured on the outside of the machine on the jacket by meetns of cementing or clarnping facets, is also accurately ensured on the core cf the curved cylinder. The Plate jacket por tion is carried along in the direction of rotation of the 3M5,594 Patented July 24, 1962 ice curved cylinder by means of the large guide surfaces of the cylinder core, and in axial direction the annular clamping device provided acts with concentric pressure action on the plate jacket simply and surely and viz. regardless of whether plate jackets are used which occupy half or more than half the cylinder circumference. By this means it is possible to fit the curved cylinder With plate jacket portions of varying sizes in dependence upon what is required by the printing work, which facilitates manipulation. The fork-like construction of the plate jackets or portions renders possible the creation of sizes which extend beyond half of the cylinder circumference by a considerable amount; but it is also possible for platte jackets of half a cylinder circumference or less to be secured and retained in their Position in this manner.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, With reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross section view taken through the removable plate jacket position having helical grooves for the facets employed for securing the plates;

FIG. 2 is a cross section of the curved cylinder core portion, which is provided on either side With guide surfaces for the fork-like reception of the removable plate jacket portions;

FIG. 3 is a cross section view illustrating the plate jacket placed 0n the cylinder core portion, which jacket in this case has thin plates directly cernented thereon;

FIG. 4 is a cross section view illustrating a plate jacket of half the cylinder circumference placed in osition;

FIG. 5 is a cross section view illustrating two plate jacket portions, each of half the cyli.nder cross section placed in osition;

FIG. 6 is a partly sectional view of the curved cylinder over the working Width, wherein the plate jacket provided with helical grooves extends over the Wh0le cylinder Wid'th and is constructed as an integral whole; and

FIG. 7 is a partly sectional elevation view illustrating two plate jackets each embracing half the Working width.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the core portion 1 of the curved cylinder, in which the cylinder shaft 2 is pressed, is provided with large oppositely disposed flat guide surfaces 3. The removable plate jacket portion 4 is provided with fork-like surfaces 5 and 6, which with the plate jacket portion 4 placed in position, fit over the guide surfaces 3 of the cylinder core portion 1. Helical grooves 7 (FIG. 1), provided in known manner in the plate jacket 4, receive the clamping facets 8, Which serve to clamp down firmly the curved plates 10 on the underlay 9.

FIG. 3 shows a plate jacket ortion 4 placed in position on the core 1, on which the plates, whieh are mostly thin, made o-f metal or plastic, are secured by cementing. The removable plate jackets 4 present the advantage that, depending upon the printing, work, it is possible to use plate jackets having cemented plates or plate jackets with clamping facets for backed curved elect-ros. As evident frorn FIGS. 1 and 3, the fork-like construction of the plate jacket portion 4 there is provided a plate surface usable extensively beyond half the cylinder cireumference.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show plate jackets 30 of half the cylinder circumference, which operate with cemented on plates. lt is possible, as shown in FIG. 4 to use only one jacket portion, or as shown in FIG. 5, t-wo plate jacket portions 3) mounted on the cylinder core portion l. The large guide suvfaces 3 of the cylinder core 1 impart to the pla-te jacket portion 30 an accurate position in radial direction and ensure a positive transrnission of the torque to the plate jackets when the curved cylinder is rotated. lt is also possible to use plate jackets which do not, as shown in FIG. 4, utilize half the cylinder circumference, but which are shorter by a certain arnonnt.

An annular clamping device as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 is used for adjustably aligning, fixing and elamping of the plate jackets in the radial and axial directions. According to FIG. 6, tl1is consists of a rotary ring 40, which in known manner is screwed to the cylinder core l. This rotary ring has a conieal recess 41 against which the plate jacket 4 abuts. At the other end a rotary ring 42 is screwed to the cylinder core 1 and provided with a fine thread 43. A threaded ring 44, which is screwed on to the fine thread 43, is provided with' a number of bores 45 for tightening l: y means of a tornmy wrench or hook-spanner wrench. A number of thrust pins 46, which are urged against a clamping ring 47, abut against the threaded ring 44. The thrust pins 46 are to a large extent displaceably mounted in the rotary ring 42 so tl1at tightening of ring 44 causes the pins 46 to bear against ring 47 and it in cooperation witl1 the recess 41 cf ring 40 apply substanflally equ'al concentrieally applied pressures on opposite ends of the jacket portion to fix it radially on the core portion and axially thereon. If the threaded ring 44 is slackened then it is possible for the plate jacket portion 4 to be displaced to the right by a corresponding extent and subsequently to be removed in an upward direetion. 011 displacement of the plate jacket portion 4 by hand, the clarnping ring 47 and hence also the thrust pins 46 are outwardly displaeed, until the thrust pins 46 abut against the slackened threaded ring 44.

In FIG. 7, the cylinder core 1 is fitted With two rernovable plate jackets 20 which are affixed towards the machine centre. Therefore the cylinder core portion 1 is provided at the centre with an annular stop 48, which on either side has conical recesses 49, 50 against which the plate jackets 20 abut. The previously described annular clamping devices are herein located at the two outer ends of the curved cylinder l.

The plate jaekets 20 are mounted in such a manner that each plate jacket with plates aligned thereon on the outside periphery, is slid 011 to the cylinder in a forklike manner, then displaced to one side, or if separate plate jackets are used, slid towards the center of the cylinder until they engage underneath the corresponding canical annular recess 49 er 50. Finally, the plate jackets are clamped -from the opposite end by means of screwing in the threaded ring 44 and hence transmitting the eflect via the thrust pins 46 to the clamping ring 47, which is also provided with a conical recess, which engages over a corresponding recess of the plate jacket portions. In this manner the plate jackets or portions are clarnped against the cylinder core.

After a plate jacket portion has been slid in position in a fork-like manner the latter is so located on the core of the curved cylinder that the eenter axis f the plate jacket is accurately aligned With the curved cylinder in order to ensure the absolutely circular path of the jacket plates. Thus, it is not necessary that, as illustrated in the drawings, for the plate jacket to be mounted to fit over the whole cylindrical surface of the cylinder core; also a partial fit is suflicient. Sirnilarly, it will be understood that it is possible for a multi-guide-surface cylinder core to be used in place of the cylindrical cylinder core portion with only two guide surfaces as shown in FIGS. 1 to 5.

While preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be understood that the invention is in no way limited to those embodiments and that many changes rnay be made within the spirit and scope of the inVention as defined =by the following elaims.

What I elaim and desire to secure by Letters Patent l. A curved cylinder for relief printing machines comprising, a rotatably driven elongated core portion provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending, peripheral, flat guide surfaces thereon disposed radially opposite each other, at least one bifurcated stereotype platecarrying jacket portion removably mounted radially on said core portion extending longitudinally at least over a part of the core portion and extending circumferentially at least over a part of the core portion thereby forming a part of the circumference of the cylinder, said platecarrying jacket portion having inner, longitudinal, flat surfaees for slidably engaging corresponding guide surfaces on said core portion, means for adjustably and removably mounting said jacket portion radially on the core portion in a selected fixed position, said last mentioned means comprising a fixed annlar abutment rnember provided with means engaging one end of the jaeket portion to progressively apply increased pressure thereto in a direction toward the senter of the core as a function of pressure applied longitudinally of the jacket portion and toward said abutment member, and means for selectively and adjustably applying pressure longitudinally of the jacket portion in a direction toward said abutrnent mernber and for simultaneously applying pressure to the opposite end of the jacket portion in a direction toward the center of the core portion, whereby the jacket portion is positioned and fixed in a selected axial osition on the core portion.

2. A curved cylinder for relief printing machines comprising, a rotatably driven elongated core portion provided With a plurality of longitudinally extending, peripheral, flat guide surfaces thereon disposed radially opposite each other, at least one bifurcated stereotype plate-carrying jacket portion removably mounted radially 0r1 said core portion extending longitudinally at least over a part of the core portion and extending circumferentially at least over a part cf the core portion thereby forming a part of the circurnference of the cylinder, said plate-can rying jacket portion having inner, longitudinal, flat surfaces for slidably engaging corresponding guide surfaces 011 said core portion, and means for adjustably, and removably mounting said jacket portion radially on the core portion in a selected fixed axial osition, said last mentioned means cornprising means for adjustably positioning said jacket portion axially relative the core portion and for simultaneously coneentrically applying substantially equal pressure forces on opposite ends of the jaeket portion thereby to fix it radially on the core portion in said selected position.

3. A curved cylinder for relief printing machines comprising, a rotatably driven, elongated core portion provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending, peripheral flat guide surfaces disposed thereon radially opposite each other, a pair of bifurcated stereotype plate-carrying jacket portions rernovably mounted radially on said core portion axially of each other extending longitudinally at least over a part of the core portion and extending circumferentially at least over a part of the core portion thereby forming a part of the circumference of the cylinder, said plate-carrying jacket portions each having inner, longitudinal, flat surfaces for slidably engaging corresponding guide surfaces on said core portion, and means for adjustably and rernovably -mounting said jacket portions radially on the core portion each in a selected fixed position, said last mentioned means comprising first means for releasably holding the ends of said jaeket portions which are next adjacent of each other against the periphery of the core portion and second means for simultaneously concentrically applying substantially equal pressure forces on opposite ends of the jacl et portion thereby to fix it radially on the core portion and for cooperating with said first means for adjustably positioning said jacket portions axially relative the core portion.

4. A curved cylinder for relief printing machines comprising a rotatably driven, elongated core portion provided with two longitudinal, peripheral, flat guide surfaces disposed thereon radially opposite each other, a single bifurcated stereotype plate-carrying jacket portion removaoly mounted radially on said core portion extending longitudinally at least over a part of the core portion and extending circumferentially over a pa1t f the core portion which is greater than one-half the circu-mference of the core portion thereby in assembly with said core portion forming 1nore than one-half the circurnference of the cylinder, seid plate-carrying jacket portion having inner, flat, longitudinal surfaces each disposed for slidably engaging a corresponding one of said guide surfaces 011 said core portion, said longitudinal surfaces on said jacket portion being disposed in said jacket portion in position to permit both removal of said jacket portion from said core portion in a radial direction and placement thereon in a radial direction, and means for adjustably aligning axially said jacket on said core portion and for removably fixing and clamping said plate-carrying jacket on the core portion in a selected fixed axial position.

5. A curved cylinder for -relief printing machines comprising a rotatably driven, elongated core portion provided with two longitudinal, peripheral, flat guide surfaces disposed thereon radially opposite each other, a Single bifurcated stereotype plate-carrying jacket portion removably mounted radially on said core portion extending longitudinally a1; least over a part of the core portion and extending circumferentially over a part of the core portion Which is greater than one-half the circumference of the core portion thereby in assernbly with said core portion forming more than one-half of the circumference of the cylinder, said plate-carrying jacket portion having owo inner, flat, longitudinal surfaces each disposed for slidably engaging a corresponding one of said guide surfaces on seid core portion, said longitudinal surfaces 011 said jacket portion being disposed in said jacket portion in position to permit both rernoval of said jacket portion from said core portion in a radial direction and place- :rnent thereon in a radial direction, and means for adjustably and rernovably fixing said plate-carrying jacket portion radially on the core portion in a selected fixed axial position, said last-mentioned means comprising means for adjustably positioning said jacket portion axially relative t0 the core portion and for simultaneously applying substantially equal radially inwardly directed pressure forces on opposite ends 0f the jacket portion thereby to fix it radially on the core portion in said selected position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 487,992 Clause Dec. 13, 1892 637,562 Hett Nov. 21, 1899 837,963 Richards Dec. 11, 1906 1047,206 Grignard Dec. 17, 1912 1336721 Bechman Apr. 13, 1920 1,795700 Baldwin Mar. 10, 1931 1958299 Ericksson May 8, 1934 2169676 Buck et a1 Aug. 15, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS 588,827 Germany Nov. 30, 1933 

